, 1887-09-28

Lear Sir,
I send you the following taken from the
National TSdeade, of 26th August.
Letter from London to the German Eco
NOmist:
'John Bull seems to be prepared to try by
all means In his power to defend himself
against the threatening destruction of his
Colonial sugar industry and the English re-
fneries connected Herewith. For this pur-
pose a pressure is exerted on all sides upon
the Ministry to produce an abolishment or at
least on effective reduction of the export
premiums granted the heetrOot-sugar in
foreign countries. The chambers Of COM
merce, in particular those of Liverpool and
Glasgow, nave with unusual decision declared
themselves in favour of it; every where
meetings are held for taking resolutions in
the same direction, and in consequence
the Prime Minister has had to condescend to
receive a deputation composed of delegates
from almost all the commercial unions in the
country. The view is gradually gaining
ground, that the British system of customs
has here and there defects, which afford an
opportunity to foreigners of i%niuring the COM
mercial interests of England, without the
power of this country to repay in the same
coin. Now, it cannot be denied, that first
and above all the sugar,industry in the
British West Indies has suffered a so severe
injury, that there is a great probability of it's
completely dying out. The competition with
beet-sugar has already destroyed a great
number of the more considerable among the
English refneries, and forced them tempo
rarily to cease working. Such are f. i,
Dublin Sugar refining Company, British and
Irish Refinery in Plymouth, job Schwart'a
Sugar mandatory in Whitechapel Nondon)
and the enormous establishment Clyde Wharf
(widely known as Duncan's refinery 1t is
difficult to fulfil the desire ON the part of the
manufacturers for the State to interfere, as
this would be contrary to the principle of
free rade However, as they are aware that
they can do nothing in that way, they avoid
with the greatest caution the very appear
ance Of wishing a protective duty. The
notion, that the Tories might be disposed t O
favour what is called the fair-trade principle
has long ago shown itself to be a mistake,
as has been proved by an inconsiderable
fact, one of the latest days, at least as
far as concerns the views of Lord Sails
bury. The Prime Minister has caused
a pension for life to be granted to the
author of some pamphlets in favour OF free
trade and therefore dedicated to the Golden
club. It would be impossible at the present
moment to shake the firm standing held by
the policy of free-trade. But the question is
raised, whether this principle would be touch
ed by opposing the export-premium for sugar,
and the answer is q decided No. On this
view the Government has acted, when it
issued an invitation to all the foreign powers,
who grant such premiums to meet in a Confer
ence. It is already known, that Germany and
Holland are disposed to abolish the export pre-
MUM, while the position Of france is yet doubt
full although the Republic loses more than any
of the other powers by the premiumrsystem>
The greatest difficulty however, is, that Q ge-
neral concurrence seemsto prerequisite between
the different countries, to abolish the premi-
ums, and that therefore, if France or any
other power resists, the matter falls to the
ground. In this case England would have to
come to q decision, whether it will admit q
breach in it's free trade system, and keep life
in it's colonies and refneries, or will allow
things to go on in the old course. What the
Government above every thing endeavours to
avoid is to cause dissatisfaction among the la
pouring classes by making sugar dearer. 1t
is however to be expected, that sugar will be-
come dearer, even supposing the export
bounty system to be continued, il thereby the
cane-sugar industry, as is probable, be des-
troyed. In certain countries, IN particular
China, the expectation of sugar has dc tactO
already ceased. The matter In itself IS clear
and simple, and no other country would Tor 3
moment hesitate. by which means to remedy
the evil. Neither do the views OF the leading